In Cincinnati, Trump touts impact of tax cuts

Wilkin attends, says workers appreciated cuts

President Donald Trump speaks on tax policy during a visit to Sheffer Corporation Monday in Blue Ash, Ohio.

President Donald Trump visited Sheffer Corp. in the city of Blue Ash near Cincinnati Monday afternoon to promote the package of tax cuts he signed into law last year.

The company recently gave its 126 workers bonuses of $1,000 apiece and attributed the gift to the windfall from corporate tax cuts in the new law.

Highland County Commissioner Shane Wilkin attended the Trump visit to Sheffer Corp., courtesy of an invitation from U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-2nd District).

Wilkin said it was impressive to listen to employees discuss how much the bonuses meant to them, as well as the savings they will see from reduced payroll taxes.

“They talked about starting a family, or how much it will help with kids going to college,” said Wilkin. “It was neat to see how appreciative they were, compared to how one side compared it to ‘crumbs,’” referring to a description by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

In his speech, Trump praised his recently-passed tax overhaul law, telling workers that “America is once again open for business.”

He pointed to economic gains during his first year as president, telling workers during a speech at the company that people’s taxes “are going way down” and U.S. “factories are coming back.”

He said the tax cuts are at the center of improving economic conditions.

The Dow Jones industrial average was down 500 points on Monday amid worries from investors about signs of higher inflation and interest rates.

The president accused Democrats of being “un-American” and maybe even treasonous for failing to applaud him during his State of the Union speech.

Trump said during his speech in Blue Ash that the Democrats last week gave off “bad energy” as he delivered his first State of the Union, failing to clap even at positive economic news.

Trump called their reception “un-American” and asked: “Shall we call that treason? Why not?”

He added that, “they certainly didn’t seem to love our country very much.”

It has become standard for members of the opposing party to give the president a chilly reception as he updates the nation on the State of the Union.

Trump says Democrats would rather see him do poorly than to see the country do well.

Trump is also taking credit for the fact that no football players kneeled during the national anthem at Sunday’s Super Bowl.

As he was speaking on the economy and tax cuts, he changed the topic to Sunday’s game between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles. He told the audience at an Ohio manufacturer that “there was nobody kneeling at the beginning of the Super Bowl.” He then asked: “We’ve made a lot of improvement, haven’t we?”

Trump has been critical of NFL players who have been kneeling during the national anthem at games to protest unfair police treatment of minorities. He says the practice is disrespectful to service members.

None of Sunday’s players took part in any demonstration during the anthem.

First Lady Melania Trump visited Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Monday afternoon to hear about the opioid epidemic in Ohio. She visited patients and was briefed by officials.

The first lady was on a rare policy trip with the president, flying with him to Ohio on Monday and then going their separate ways.

Mrs. Trump was accompanied to the hospital by presidential adviser Kellyanne Conway.

President Donald Trump speaks on tax policy during a visit to Sheffer Corporation Monday in Blue Ash, Ohio.